


Life Goes On

by RecreateImagination



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-27 07:37:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6275515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RecreateImagination/pseuds/RecreateImagination
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Octavia and Lincoln have moved on from their life at Arkadia. It has been a little over two years and they have settled in a new village close to the sea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Octavia stared down at the child in her arms. Her child. Their child. What had life come to? Her world was falling apart, and yet sitting here, with this baby in her arms the chaos had stopped. 

It had been an almost normal pregnancy followed by a grueling 26-hour labor but she had survived it. Her body seemed oddly empty but her heart felt overwhelmingly full. 

The baby yawed widely and stretched her little body as far as the swaddling would allow. Octavia traced her perfect little face with an index finger as if trying to convince herself that this wasn’t a dream. 

It’s true, she hadn’t wanted children. She’d never really been around them and her depression overwhelmed her when it became clear she was pregnant. She didn’t let Lincoln touch her for weeks after, not understanding what was wrong, he became detached and angry. Feeling lost he joined the horde that was going off to the war front.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lincoln stood in front of her, her eyes down cast and arms wrapped protectively around herself. 

“Well, I guess I will see you in a few weeks.” He said reaching for her arm and then thinking better of it. He lifted his eyes to the sky and he exhaled. “If I make it that long.” He felt her hand take his and the sudden contact startled him. 

“Octavia-” She was staring into his eyes. She shook her head.

“I’m so sorry, please don’t go- don’t do this- Please come back to us- To me. Please, I can’t go on with out you.” The tears started streaming from her eyes. “I can’t do this with out you. I’m Sorry I’ve been so horrible I-“

He placed his forehead on hers. “Shhh. Octavia stop. It’s alright. This is enough.” He forced her chin up to place a light kiss on her trembling lips. “I’m glad you came back to me, even if it is just for now.” He pulled her to him and kissed her on the forehead. He held her tight until the commander yelled and the troops began to move out of the camp. With one last soft kiss he turned without saying good bye and began to move into the horde. 

Octavia trembled where she stood. She couldn’t let him go to war without knowing, right? Was it better this way? What if he doesn’t come back? He shouldn’t know right? It will just make him want to stay. What if it distracts him and he gets killed? What if it strengthens him?

He should- He needs to know.

“Lincoln!” she yelled running after him. He was a good 100 yards in from of her by now but he still turned to his name. They collided in an embrace that sent shock waves through both of their bodies. 

“Lincoln. You are going to be a father.” She whispered into his ear. He froze in her arms, time seemed to freeze, even the troops marching past didn’t make a sound as he pulled her body back to stare into her face. They stood like that for a solid 20 seconds before he let his hand drift down to her abdomen. Tears formed in his eyes as he felt the small but defined bump hidden beneath her gear.

“Is this what-“ 

“Yes. I’m sorry, I was just- I am so scared. And I should have told you and now its too late and-“ 

Her words were swallowed by his kiss. A kiss that sent ripples of desire coursing through her. A kiss that shattered her nightmares and strengthened her soul. A kiss that healed her, comforted her, caressed her, and most importantly told her that he was coming back. No matter what happened in battle. Lincoln would be back for her, for them. He broke the kiss with tears streaming down his face. She wiped them away with her thumbs and without another word he rejoined the march and headed away from her.

Lincoln had returned, although it took him much longer than anticipated. The war stretched over many miles and the troops became disbanded and scattered. 

Lincoln had received a severe injury to his left arm and had to hide in the tops of trees for days in order to stay alive. He had been strong enough to climb up and down only using his right arm and his legs but the daily climbs, although keeping him alive, had also separated him from his group. 

He wandered for days after his injury had begun to heal. Making his way back to his village. Back to his Octavia.

He had lost his pack and had no way of keeping time. 

How long had he been gone? Where was his group? Were they alive? Did they know he was alive? 

Day after day he plunged through the forests, hills and plains trying to make his way home. Home to his family.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Octavia lay on their bed curled up into as small of a ball as she could muster given her current size. The baby shifted inside her and she hummed an old nursery rhyme the midwife had taught her. 

“Em ait youngon.” She whispered rubbing her hand over her exposed belly. “Nontu ste komba raun houm” She tried to sound sure, for the child’s sake. He would be home. He couldn’t leave her like this, she knew he was alive. Nothing anyone could say would change that. 

His war party had returned to the village haggard and war torn but victorious. The southern clans had been overthrown. The battles had been brutal, lasting almost three months. Lincoln had been gone four. 

As the days had turned to weeks and the weeks to months, Octavia had done all that she could to keep her mind off of it. If she had only let him in from the beginning they wouldn’t be in this situation. It would be her fault If he died out there. Her fault if their child was fatherless. She had cried herself to sleep every night until the midwife had come to her rescue. Bringing herbs, sunshine and good omens into the small hut. The women of the village kept her spirits up as best they could. Not only for her sake, but for the baby’s.

Octavia rolled over, remembering her resolution to stay out of bed until absolutely necessary. She put both feet on the floor and stood, her hand going to her back as she stretched. A walk would do her good. She straightened up and headed for the outskirts of the village.

At 26 weeks pregnant Octavia had started to tire more quickly than she used to. After reaching the woods she slumped down onto a fallen tree leaning forward and putting her head in her hands. She sighed and held back her tears. There was no reason to cry at this moment. She was just tired. 

“Come on Octavia.” She said into the silence. The baby shifted again and she sat straighter to caress her belly. “Just a few more weeks’ baby, just a few more until I can hold you in my arms and kiss you on your sweet little face.” She smiled at the thought. Her mind wandered to Lincoln’s face and the joy he would show at the sight of their baby. Tears stung her eyes. 

Please Lincoln, please come home. 

She startled suddenly as shouts rang out from the village. The baby jumped as if startled and kicked her hard in the lungs causing her to cough violently. She struggled to her feet, fearing danger lurking in the woods. She looked toward the noise and saw a woman hurrying toward her.

“Octavia!” the woman grew near and helped her over the bumpy terrain as she regained her breath support. “What are you doing out here? Come child, back inside where its safe. Someone is approaching. They don’t know whether it is an ally or not.” 

A glimmer of hope unfurled in her chest.

“What? Show me. I want to see.” Her heart quickened at the thought. Could it be him? Could it be her Lincoln?

The two of the hurried through the village center and toward the gates at its head. The grounders were grouping up and arming themselves with spears and other ammo in preparation for a surprise attack. 

Were they under attack?

The gates stood gaping before them with grounders on high alert as a dark figure limped toward them through the trees. The child kicked her violently again as her heart leaped in her chest and she gasped.

She knew that figure. She could spot him from any distance. 

Wordlessly she broke away from the woman who had been helping her. She stumbled toward the closing gates. Hands reached for her but she shrugged them off.

“Octavia no.” voices called but she ignored them. Only one word whispered from her lips, 

“Lincoln.”

She took off running, faster than she would have thought herself capable at six and a half months pregnant. 

“Lincoln!” she yelled. His head snapped up, His eyes. Those beautiful dark eyes meant only for hers. They were looking at her and now he was running. 

Lincoln was home.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the days after his arrival they spent hours in bed. He was on strict bed rest from the village healer and she was all to happy to comply. She never wanted him to leave their bed ever again. 

He spent hours whispering to their baby of his adventures in the woods. Octavia would smile and caress his newly shaven face as he pressed kisses into her belly. Sometimes they would lay in silence, looking into each others eyes and touching each others bodies. Octavia’s belly continued to swell and Lincoln gazed upon her naked form with such pride it made the heat in the room sky rocket. They couldn’t stay physically separated for long periods of time. If in the presence of others, they would hold hands or lean into each other and they were always giving each other the tenderest of kisses. Once alone it was all clothes on the floor and they would stay there until the two of them were forced out of bed for one reason or another.

As Lincoln’s injuries healed and their baby grew inside Octavia all of their previous grievances with each other were laid out on the table and discussed. 

They talked about their mutual depression and the toll the Sky/grounder war had taken on the two of them as individuals. They delved into their shared past and even farther beyond that, digging up the deepest of issues and helping each other heal. 

Some nights would be spent in tears as one or both of them comforted the other, listening to the stories of the past and all the horrors it held. 

Little by little, day by day, the two of them learned to cope. They learned to acknowledge, understand and love their past and most importantly they became stronger together. They became the lover the other needed. They became the leaders that everyone needed. They became a fortresses that no one could penetrate.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lincoln.” Octavia muttered through gritted teeth. He rolled over in his sleep. Damn him. She shuddered through the pain. It’ll pass Octavia, it’ll pass. She let out a shaky breath before the pain seized her again.

Or maybe it wont.

She punched him. “Lincoln please.” 

He startled rubbing his arm and blinking the sleep from his eyes. “Octavia? What’s wrong?” she blew out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. He sat up and began rummaging around the floor. He quickly resurfaced with the water skin in hand. “Is it over?” he asked when she began breathing regularly and opened her eyes. She nodded and he brought the skin to her lips. She drank greedily as the cold water calmed her nerves. “Was that a real one do you think?” he asked as she slowly sat up. 

“Gods that was painful.” She rubbed her belly and he placed his large hand against the small of her back in support. “If that wasn’t real then I quit.” He chuckled and kissed her on the forehead. 

“It looks to be in the early hours of the morning. The village will wake in a few more and we can go to the midwife.” He pulled her into his arms. “Do you want to try and sleep a little more? It seems like we have a long day ahead of us.” She snuggled into his chest in response. 

After getting Octavia re-situated in bed Lincoln stoked the fire. They were having a baby today. His heart thundered in his chest as he went to join his houmon. She snuggled back into him and he kissed the top of her head. 

“Rest well my love. Today is the day we meet our youngon.”

The day stretched on in agonizing pain. Octavia however, kept the mood light as she made herself busy around the house and village stopping every now and then to labor. The midwife, Scotia, and Lincoln bustled around her for an hour or two preparing for the birth but the midwife soon left to tend to other patients while Octavia continued to labor. 

“Lincoln. That is not where that goes.” She said nodding to his hunting knife he had just placed on the hearth. He chuckled and bent to pick it up again. 

“Yes mama bear.” She grinned at him just before another contraction hit and she wavered under the pain. Lincoln quickly stored the knife above the door and took her by the hips rubbing his thumbs into her lower back muscles. She groaned as the contraction lengthen and ebbed. Her legs trembled under the pressure in her abdomen and pelvis but Lincoln stood behind her, her rock. As it ended he turned her around and kissed her. “You are my warrior.” He whispered into her lips. “Now sit and rest. Let me finish this.” He gestured to the piled clothes and gear she had been putting away. She rested her head on his chest. 

“No, lay with me. I want you to hold me for a minute.” 

He obliged and helped her into multiple positions her for the next few hours as the contractions came and went with increasing ferocity. 

“Unnnnhhh God!” Octavia cried as a particularly strong contraction took over her body. 

“Breathe Love, breathe.” Lincoln whispered into her hair. She was sitting on his lap in a chair by the hearth, bracing herself with her hands on his knees as he massaged his palms into the small of her back. Octavia whimpered as the contraction ebbed and increased in intensity. “I know Octavia; you are so strong.”

“How is she doing?” The midwife asked as she entered the hut.

“She’s in so much pain and my efforts are no longer helping. This seems to be the only position that she finds any relief in at all.” Lincoln said as he continued to press into her back with his hands. Octavia whimpered again as if in agreement.

Scotia walked over to her with a cool wet rag and wiped her face. “When this one’s over we need to check you to see if you are dilated, okay?” Octavia nodded stiffly and let out a shaky breath. 

“Okay.” She gasped. “Okay, I think its over.” Scotia took her by the arm and together she and Lincoln helped her stand and walk over to the fur covered bed. As Scotia went about her business of checking Octavia Lincoln knelt by her head and stroked her hair out of her face. 

“How are you holding up my warrior?” he asked smiling down at her. She grimaced.

“I feel like an animal is trying to rip its way out of me.” He chuckled and kissed her.

“You are progressing nicely, about six centimeters.” Octavia groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Oh sweetie, Don’t cry, that’s much farther than I expected.” Scotia said, trying to be encouraging. Lincoln pulled her hands away and helped her sit up, wiping at her tears with his thumb.

“you are so strong and you are almost there. We are so close to having this baby.” He kissed her again.

“I know.” She sniffled “I’m just so- so tired” she really started to cry then and Lincoln pulled her in and held her. Scotia brought over some cold water and she drank a little before gasping and falling forward as another contraction took her. 

“They’re getting very close.” Scotia said, “that was was less than three minutes.” Lincoln nodded and Octavia let out a moan. “This is good Octavia; you will start to progress much faster.” Octavia gasped then, as did Lincoln, as both of them witnessed her water break.

“Oh praise the Gods on high.” Octavia muttered as her pain lessoned just a bit. Scotia clapped her hands together and began bustling around much faster now. 

“The pain is going to come back much stronger now and you might feel the urge to push. Let your body do what feels natural.” She said as she readied the bed for the birth. Octavia moaned loudly and Lincoln struggled for a minute to hold her up as she cried out in pain. 

“that’s it Octavia, the bed is ready Lincoln help her down.” He did so and Octavia clutched him tightly. 

“Don yu teik go gon me.” She muttered through gritted teeth as he helped her onto all fours. 

“Nowe.” He said as he kissed her. 

Octavia’s contractions came stronger then and much longer as her body adjusted and stretched. It lasted another hour before Octavia said “I need to push; God I need to push now!”

“It’s fine, we are ready for you. Keep breathing, send that air to your baby.” Scotia said as Octavia groaned and sat up into a more comfortable position. She was almost squatting propped up against the wall and Lincoln with the midwife in front of her. 

She moaned as a new contraction took her and she began to bare down with all her might. “that’s it Octavia, just like that.” Scotia said placing her hand on Octavia’s belly. “The baby has most definitely entered the birthing canal; it wont be long now. Just keep breathing.” Octavia nodded as she pushed and breathed and breathed and pushed. Just when she thought it couldn’t get anymore excruciating Scotia said, “Place you hand down, you can feel your baby.”

Dear Gods she was crowning and dear Gods did it hurt. She bit back a scream as the next contraction took her over the edge and she felt a tiny release as the baby’s head was born. She cried then and Lincoln kissed away her tears replacing them with tears of his own as he held her and whispered into her ear. 

“I love you, I love you, My warrior Octavia. Ai hod yu in.” She cried as the next contraction took her and she pushed for all she was worth. She cried as her hand wrapped around the small body as it left hers and joined them in the world. She cried as she cradled the baby to her chest. She cried as that small baby opened its mouth and let out the most beautiful sound the two of them had ever heard. 

She and Lincoln cried together as they looked down at their beautiful baby girl.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lincoln walked across the small hut with the newly filled water skin in his hand. Octavia looked up from the baby as his bare chest and rippling muscles and smiled with tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. 

“We made a baby.” Lincoln chuckled as he carefully sat down beside her. 

“We sure did.” He said kissing said baby on the forehead. The baby cooed and twisted in her mother’s arms. “My beautiful Lilly. I would follow her anywhere.” He said kissing Octavia once on her forehead, once on her temple, once on her cheek before making it to her lips. She melted under his affection. 

“I want another one.” She said as he pulled away. He almost spilled the water on himself as he scoffed and stared at her. 

“Woman, you just pushed a tiny human out of your body not 5 hours ago and you are ready to do it again!?” She grinned

“Well not immediately.” She laughed and the baby cooed softly. Lincoln sighed and leaned back against the pillows. 

“I used to say you would be the death of me but now I know better.” She looked at him quizzically. “You were always planning on taking me down with you, right from the start. I never even had a choice did I?” he mocked resentment and she laughed. 

“Not in the slightest.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just fluff, I figured we could all use it.

The days stretched on with little to report on the war front. There was no threat in sight and unity day was approaching. Everyone in the village was getting ready for the celebrations. The festival would be hosted in their region. With the proximity to the ocean and the weather being so pleasant it was a perfect location and everyone was talking about it. 

Octavia stepped out of the trees and out onto the sand. She loosened the sling on her back and brought Lillyana around into her arms. The walk had not been a long one but both of them needed the fresh air and Lilly would be hungry soon. Octavia smiled down at her daughter as she stretched, yawned and opened her big blue grey eyes. 

“Good morning my sweet Lillyana.” Octavia whispered placing a kiss on her forehead. The baby cooed and her eyes wandered across her mother face. 

Octavia breathed in the fresh ocean air and settled down into the sand letting her hair blow in the breeze. What a beautiful home Lincoln had found for them. The culture was so different here, the people more open and receptive to the new and the less fortunate. They were protected by the trees, the large mountains and most importantly, the ocean. Everything here seemed calm and peaceful and it had taken Octavia a full year to completely trust that nothing bad was going to happen to them. 

Nothing bad had happened to them, one of the best things had happened to them, Lilly. Lillyana Grace had resulted from their peace, from the fact the Octavia was now healthy and strong. She was fully 20 now and had never felt more alive in her own body. 

She was free. She was safe.

Sure the tribes would always be at war over something, but she and Lincoln had found a community of warriors just like themselves who would stop at nothing to protect what they hold most dear. The tribes around them respected that and never tried to interfere. If there was a problem most people came to the Haihefa Wada tribe or the Water King for wisdom or judgment when their own tribes were unsettled. 

They had found their home and they weren’t planning on leaving any time soon. 

Lincoln had joined up with the training program and was now an instructor for the younger boys and girls who were training to fight. He loved his position and always came home with stories of the kids who he could see going far and the kids who would ultimately get their asses kicked. Octavia loved to see him laugh and he was laughing all the time now. She didn’t think that life could get much better than this.

But there was always that nagging in the back of her mind. That name that would never leave her, no matter how much she tried to bury it. 

Bellamy.

They had left him. For good reasons, but she still felt that they had still abandoned him. He made some bad choices, he had gotten so many people killed. But she still loved him. She could ignore that day, she could bury the anger, she just wanted to know he was okay. If he died because of her she would never forgive herself. 

But it had been almost three years since they left Arkadia, three years and so many miles. He was either dead or he had started his own new life. Somewhere that wasn’t here. Somewhere she might never find him again.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. Why was she crying? There was no reason to cry. 

She looked back down at Lilly, her right hand was flailing in the air and she was smiling.  
What a beautiful smile.

Her light olive brown skin looked radiant in the sun light. She looked so much like Lincoln, although he said Lilly was a mirror image of Octavia herself. She had lighter skin than Lincoln and was born with a head full of Octavia’s black wavy hair.

“She’s going to be a spitting image of you.” Lincoln had said as he kissed her. Octavia smiled at the memory. Lilly had her eyes, big and blue grey. She was so striking with her olive skin and her bright eyes. Octavia knew already that they were going to have problems with the boys in the future. “Just like her momma.” Lincoln had said.

Lilly gave a little cry to indicate that she was indeed hungry and Octavia shifted her into a more comfortable position for nursing. Covering her with a light blanket to protect her little face from the sun, Octavia looked out over the ocean and smiled. 

This was perfect.

“Hey, Tae.” Lincoln called from down the beach. She looked up to her right to see him jogging with a bunch of young ones in tow. She grinned and shielded her eyes in an attempt to see them better. She stuck up her hand so he could give her a high five as he passed. The kids followed his lead and giggled as he made kissy faces at her while jogging back ward. 

“Come on you lazy lumps, faster!” he shouted. Octavia laughed as the kids groaned and tried to pick up their pace. “I’ll be done in 20 and then I’m coming for you and that baby!” he shouted as he jogged farther away from her. She laughed and blew him a kiss. 

A child plopped down in the sand beside her. Octavia startled a bit. 

“They are going to leave you behind.” She said to the girl. This must be Mira, Lincoln had told her what a goof this girl was. Mira gave Octavia a sideways glance before sprawling out in the sand. 

“I no longer care.” She said dramatically, her hand flying to her forehead to fain distress. “Let them leave me here to die. Anything is better than his incessant running.”

“Incessant, that’s a big word for a girl your age.” Octavia laughed and the girl sat up.

“Yeah well, people need to understand more big words. Most people these days are really stupid.” She kicked some sand and stood up. Octavia laughed again. 

“how do you learn your big words?”

“Books.”

“What kind of books?”

“I have a whole stack of dictionaries. I read them for fun when the matron is away.”

“Oh you live in the group?” Octavia was taken aback. She knew there were kids in the village with no parents but she had never gotten to talk to one before. 

“Yeah. It’s fun there I guess. Matron is not fun, she’s real grumpy, like someone killed her pet cobra or something, all the time. I told her she needs a hobby or a man or something. But that just got me sent to the roof.” Mira sighed and started to skip down the beach after the running dots in the distance. “Ah well, it was nice talking to you Octavia!” she waved and took off running. 

Octavia watched her go with a smile on her face. What a character. What a child. She checked on Lilly who was now fast asleep.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The day was turning out to be even more beautiful than it had begun. Octavia made her way to the waters edge bouncing little Lilly in her arms while she cooed and made bubbles on her lips. 

She felt arms encircle her middle as Lincoln kissed her on her cheek from behind. 

“how are my girls?” he asked spinning her around and kissing her. Octavia smiled and handed Lilly off to him. 

“We are wonderful. I love this place.” She slid her arms around his middle now and leaned into him drinking in his smell. “How was training this morning?” 

“Ahh, those kids are going to wear me out. I feel like I’m getting old when they start running laps around me. Its this new game they’ve invented to try and distract me from combat. They are exhausting.” Octavia smiled. 

“I met Mira today.” Lincoln raised an eyebrow and sighed.

“Damn her, she keeps escaping. They gave me to many of them I can never keep track.” Octavia laughed

“Yeah she is quite the character, she just plopped down beside me and started talking. She was very sweet though. I felt bad for her, being stuffed in that group setting has to be hard.” Lincoln nodded.

“hyperactive is the word they told me to use.” Octavia squeezed him tighter. 

“You are so good with them.” She said looking up at him. “Seriously, you are going to be the best father.”

“What are you talking about.” He scoffed. “I already am the best father.” They both laughed and he wrapped am arm around her and led her up the beach toward some shade. 

“How much time do we have before this place is packed out?” 

“Some groups have already arrived and are setting up camp. The festivities wont fully commence until tonight though. It will get really crowded by sundown.” Lincoln sat in the sand under the shade of a large overhanging tree and motioned for Octavia to sit beside him. She snuggled up against him and sighed.

“It’s going to be so weird.”

“Why do you say that?”

“With all these people, I don’t know. I just feel so at home here, its just going to be weird with all these strangers.” Lincoln nudged her and kissed her on the head. 

“Don’t worry, you will be the talk of the town. You and our beautiful baby. Everyone will want to see her. Healthy babies are such a commodity around here.” Octavia raised her eyes brows and studied his face.

“Seriously?” she grimaced. “Can I hide.” Lincoln laughed and kissed Lilly on the forehead before handing her back. 

“No.” he said standing and offering a hand to her. “We have to mingle. At least for a little bit.”

“Okay, well can we mingle after a nap? She’s going to be hungry and my back hurts.” Octavia stuck out her lower lip and Lincoln kissed it. 

“Yes baby.” He said and took her hand. “Lets go find lunch.”

As they approached the village Octavia pressed closer into Lincoln. Lilly was wide awake and flailing her hand in Octavia’s hair. 

“In a few weeks she’ll be pulling on your braids.” Lincoln said with a chuckle. 

“Only ‘cus she’s jealous and can’t wait for braids of her own.” Octavia shot back sticking her tongue out at him. He laughed again and kissed her on the nose. 

“Oh my god. Octavia! Lincoln?” Both of them spun around Lillyana protesting loudly at the sudden momentum. Raven Reyes stood behind them, her mouth gaping. “What the fuck.” She stared, neither of them said anything. Raven broke the silence and stepped toward them. “Holy shit you guys!” she embraced Lincoln in a bear hug. “We thought you were dead!” She went for Octavia and paused noticing the baby. “Holy shit you guys! Is this yours? Oh my god!” Lincoln chuckled and Octavia, recovering, smiled.

“It’s good to see you.” She gave Raven a one arm embrace. 

“Holy shit.” Was all Raven seemed able to say. “You two popped out a baby? Holy shit. Wait till your brother sees this.” She turned scanning the crowd. 

“Bellamy’s here?” Octavia asked, her heart suddenly hammering in her chest. Lincoln put his hand on the small of her back.

“Yeah, he was literally right behind me like ten minutes ago. A couple of us are still around.” She stopped scanning and returned her attention to Lilly. “Oh my god you guys! She really cute, you two make one hell of a baby I’ll tell you. Good luck with the boys when she grows up.” 

Lincoln gave a wry chuckle. “Yeah, thanks.” 

Octavia was frozen, her mind still on her brother. She looked at Lincoln. 

“I have to see him.” She said urgently. 

“I know.”

“why don’t we try our camp. He might have gone back there. Come on,” Raven motion for them to follow her and she turned and started heading into the grove beside the giant fire pit. It was getting to be late afternoon so the kids of the village were busy piling branches and small logs onto the pyre in preparation for tonight’s ceremony. Octavia barely glanced at them as they passed, all she could think about was her brother.

“Hey you, have you seen Bell?” Raven asked a skinny girl putting up a tent on the edge of their small camp. The girl shrugged and pointed toward a white tent Octavia recognized. She inhaled sharply and Lincoln squeezed her hand. 

“You tell me if I need to take Lilly okay.” Octavia nodded but held onto her baby even tighter. Lilly squirmed a bit before snuggling her head into her mother neck. She was going to get fussy soon. Octavia knew she was hungry, she just had to see her brother first. Octavia stopped walking as soon as she saw the tent flap open. Bellamy looked up directly at her before turning to zip the tent back. 

He froze as if only just registering what he saw. 

Slowly her turned back around to face her. His hand went to his hair and he gasped out her name.

“Octavia?” She burst out into tears and He fell to his knees. Blindly Octavia passed Lilly off to Lincoln and ran to her brother wrapping him in her arms and sobbing into his shoulder.

“Bellamy.”

“I’m so sorry Octavia, I don’t know what came over me. I wasn’t myself, I can’t live with what I’ve done. Please Octavia, please forgive me. I’m sorry about Lincoln. I’m sorry I messed everything up for you. I-“

“Bellamy stop.” Octavia pushed him away to so he could look her in the eyes. “just stop. Lincoln’s fine. You didn’t hurt him.” 

“But I shot him. I saw him fall.” Octavia shook her head and regained her composure. 

“Yeah, but to be honest brother, shooting was never your forte.” She chuckled a little and wiped his tears away. 

“You mean-” Octavia moved to the side and Bellamy looked behind her. Lincoln gave a little wave and then the finger. 

“Yep he’s still kickin’” 

“Oh my god. All this time I thought he was dead. I thought you were dead. Are you dead? Am I dreaming?” he looked to Raven for confirmation. 

“You are very much awake. And you haven’t even gotten to the best part.” She said and Bellamy looked very confused. 

“Uncle Bellamy.” Octavia said wiping away her own tears with the back of her hand. 

“What?” He stared at her. “Uncle? What. You had a baby?”

“Yep she’s two weeks today actually.”

“Two weeks?” Raven asked. “Holy shit.” Octavia laughed. Lincoln came up and knelt down beside them. 

“Bellamy, meet Lillyana Grace, your niece.” Octavia said smiling. 

“Holy shit.” Was all he said as he stared at the baby girl. Lilly continued to flail her fists in the air which made them all laugh. “You are starting them early on the whole fighting thing, damn sis, I dint know you had it in you. A baby?” he chuckled “Wow.” 

“You want to hold her?” She asked punching him in the shoulder. He looked up at her and gave a slight nod. Carefully Lincoln transferred Lilly into Bellamy’s arms. “If she starts screaming its because she’s hungry, not because she doesn’t like you.” 

“Oh my god O, she’s beautiful.” He traced her cheek with his index finger and wiggled her nose. Octavia smiled. 

“Thanks Bell.” She watched him stare at her baby and felt tears sting her eyes again. “I really missed you.” He looked up at her and nodded.

“I missed you too O.” 

Everything was right in the world. If only for these few minutes, Octavia was at peace.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
As the fire grew larger Octavia stared down at her nursing baby. How was it that after all the hardship she was finally at peace? She didn’t want to trust it but every time she doubted Lincoln was there to reassure her that all was right in the world. 

Lilly was here. She was healthy. She was perfect. 

Octavia was happy. 

Lincoln walked over to her from where he had been helping keep up the fire. She leaned forward so he could retake his place behind her. She snuggled back into him and he wrapped his strong arms around her. Pressing a kiss into her hair he whispered.

“Let me know when your ready for bed. We don’t have to stay the whole time.” She looked up at him and smiled. 

“Just a few more minutes. I am tired but I love listening to the music.” He squeezed her and she rested her head on his chest. Lilly soon finished eating and Octavia resituated her so she could burp. It didn’t take long for Lilly to doze off in Octavia’s arms. 

The two of them held onto this moment as they looked down at their sleeping daughter. 

“She’s so perfect.” Lincoln said. “I didn’t know something so beautiful could come out of something like us, as much as we’ve been through. I honest thought we wouldn’t live long enough to move on.” Octavia shifted her body away from the fire so that she was wrapped more closely into Lincoln’s chest. She rested her cheek over his heart and she could feel it beating.

“I think its because of everything we’ve been though. I mean, she’s more beautiful to us because she was never supposed to be a possibility. She is our survival.” Lincoln pulled her close and kissed her head.

“God I love you.” 

Octavia looked up into his eyes and kissed him tenderly. “I love you too.” She snuggled back down and rested in his warmth as the music lilted on though the night.

Octavia woke up a few hours late curled up in their bed with Lincoln beside her and Lilly in her bassinet to their left. Everything was as it should be. Peaceful.


End file.
